NASA: 'Pray' if asteroid heads toward Earth

Agency warns 'city-killer' space rocks show need for mission

(Los Angeles Daily News) Charles Bolden, the chief of the Nasa, has warned that the US space agency’s best advice on how to handle a large asteroid heading towards New York City is “pray”.

Mr. Bolden told US lawmakers that prayer was all that the US or anyone could currently do about unknown asteroids and meteors that may be on a collision course with Earth.

An asteroid estimated to be have been about 55 feet (17 metres) in diameter exploded on Feb 15 over Chelyabinsk, Russia, generating shock waves that shattered windows and damaged buildings. More than 1,500 people were injured.